Listeners versus Disciples. By Fabian Massa.

1. In Chapter IV of the gospel of Mark, the author tells an interesting story:

A crowd had gathered to listen to Jesus on the shore of the lake. In order to have space and all to hear, the Master in a little bit in the water and sat on a boat that served as a makeshift pulpit. Then he preached a number of teachings in parables, but the author only collects the parable of the sower:

3 "Listen! A sower went out to sow. 4 And it came he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it. 5 Some fell on rocky places without much land. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow 6 But when the sun came up, the plants withered and had no root, they withered away. 7 Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked it, and it yielded no fruit. 8 Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up, grew and produced a crop, multiplying thirty, sixty or even a hundred.

When Jesus had told this story:

9 "He who has ears to hear, let him hear"

And there it ended preaching. Then, when he was alone the disciples and others who followed him came to him and asked him about the meaning of the parable and Jesus said:

11, "To you it has revealed the secret of the kingdom of God, 'he answered, but to those outside everything is said in parables, 12 so that" "as much as seeing but never perceiving, and ever hearing but not understand, lest they turn and be forgiven. "

Two. There are two important points to consider in this portion of Scripture:

A. Jesus had entered difference between the Way and those who stopped alongside it. Those who do not enter the path obviously never reached the final, which is the Eternity of the Kingdom of God. To them Jesus preached and healed them (signals) in order to create and begin to live by faith and be saved. Jesus taught only to those who had the hunger to know, who want to understand to live according to His Word, ie I wanted to be disciples, doers and not hearers only. Jesus called in his preaching to all, but few chose self [1] wanting to know more about God, concerned more for His Presence [2] that for the Loaves and Fishes [3]. Here is a lesson for us: We must preach to all, but only work with those who understand are committed to discipleship (Those who read, those taking notes, the questioners, seekers, the notes you take at the end class and take them to study later). The disciples "will be revealed to the Kingdom of God" and not those who are not committed to follow the Way.

B. The correct interpretation of the text you quoted Jesus in Mark 4.11 and 12

12 that "" as much as seeing but never perceiving, and ever hearing but never understanding lest they turn and be forgiven. "

This portion corresponds to Isaiah 6.9 and 10:

9 And he said:

'Go and tell this people:

"" Hearing, but never understanding;

look good, but do not perceive. "

* 10 Make the heart of this people;

make their ears dull

and closes his eyes,

lest they see with their eyes,

hear with their ears,

and understand with their heart,

and becomes

and be healed.

In order to properly interpret this passage must be considered in the context of the story, which begins in chapter 6:

In the year of King Uzziah's death [4] the priest Isaiah had a spiritual ecstasy and had a vision of the Throne Room of God, with his court of angels and seraphim. Isaiah is aware of what he saw and recognized a man sinful and unclean. An angel purified his mouth with an ember and then God's voice asking:

- Whom shall I send? Who will go for us?

Then Isaiah said:

'Here I am. Send me!

And then God said:

9-Go and tell this people [5]:

"" Hearing, but never understanding;

look good, but do not perceive. "

10 Make the heart of this people;

make their ears dull

and closes his eyes,

lest they see with their eyes,

hear with their ears,

and understand with their heart,

and becomes

and be healed.

Taking verses 9 and 10 outside the context of the chapter, it can be interpreted that God had already decided to save only a few Israelites, and this at the end of time. But if we do it in the context it is clear that the call that the Lord makes to Isaiah's prophesy to Israel and that these two verses are rather a warning to the priest become a prophet upon the hardness of people's hearts.

The "Apparent" contradictions are resolved texts relating them to others:

I. God's will is that all be saved (1 Timothy 2.4)

II. The will of God is that people become (repent) and enter the Kingdom of Heaven (Matthew 3.2 and 4.17)

III. God's will is that the Truth is preached to every creature, for salvation (Matthew 10.7, 24.14)

IV. The will of God when he sends to Isaiah to preach to Israel is that they might be saved. But God also knew that would be disobedient to the work of the prophet.

Three. Conclusion

If you got to this point in the reading and you open your Bible to find some of the passages that I copied, if you're longing to see how it ends the conclusion, and again you learn, give glory to God because you have heard the call of God for your life, you have entered the path and you're a disciple.

To you it will reveal the secrets of the Kingdom, because that Master has promised. And every disciple is sent to prophesy (speak the Word of God) to unbelievers, both those who are in the World and how to those who stand at the edge of the road, ie those who come to church every Sunday but never commit to following the Gospel, but only have a religious attitude.

God sends us to preach to everyone, but also shows us that we must teach only those who are disciples, so we spend our time on the land that bear fruit at 30, 60 and 100%

God bless you,

Fabian.

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[1] Matthew 22:14
[2] SPANISH http://www.tesorosdesabiduria.com/2013/08/study-la-presencia-de-dios-rompe.html; http://www.tesorosdesabiduria.com/2013/07/la-diferencia- between-the-power-and-la.html ENGLISH http://www.tesorosdesabiduria.com/2013/08/study-presence-of-god-breaks-chains.html; http://www.tesorosdesabiduria.com/ 2013/07/the-difference-between-power-and.html
[3] http://www.lasemana70.com/2013/08/study-los-panes-y-los-peces-by-fabian.html SPANISH, ENGLISH http://www.lasemana70.com/2013/08 / study-loaves-and-fishes-by-fabian-massa.html
[4] His reign ended the year 759 a. C. Uzziah is mentioned in verse 5 of chapter 14 of the Book of Zechariah and the author is associated with an earthquake that occurred in his life. In the record of past earthquakes to the 20th century, there is one dated October 7 to 759. C. and occurred in Israel, and this is precisely the last year of the reign of Uzziah. In Hebrew date was the year 3002 of the Hebrew was started on the 7th of October, the same day and month in which the earthquake occurred in Israel. http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oz% C3% ADas
[5] In verses 11-13 it follows that the message was for the people of Israel, which would be several times decimated. But what God resurfaced in time will bring the holy seed (see Zechariah 12)